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Topic: trying a trapout. (Read 4596 times)

set up my first trapout today on a tree hive.looks like i only had one hole to place a cone on and seal and i got it!i took a frame of eggs and a frame of capped larve from the hive i want a queen from.i then did a position change and let drift fill the box with foragers.the nurse bees were on the frames of eggs and brood.this was started 4 days ago and i confirmed queen cell formation before placing the hive onthe stand next to the cone.

thanks iddee for the information on trapouts.i will post my results as i go.hope this works!bailey

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most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

got a call from the client that i am doing the trap out for.he reports bees coming out of the colony being traped and none going back in.all are returning to the bait hive. i am going to try to go back for a look today and see but it sounds like it is working with no problems.

bailey

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most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

oops! went back and found they had eaten the caulk from the back of the cone! :-x

i had a couple of pieces of window screen with me and after an hour of blocking and observing i shouldbe on the winning side now. ( i hope )will post the photos as soon as they come in from my phone email.bailey

Logged

most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

Looks good. Looks like you may have 8 or so frames of bees. If you wanted to do it, you could remove it, put another box up, cut 2 of the queen cells out, put them into the new box, and get a second hive off it.

If you don't, keep an eye on the weight. It could hit 75 lbs. before you know it.

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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

checked the trapout today, not much changed, the bees are still coming out but much slower.the trap hive has 8 frames full and bees are not able to get into the tree anymore.looked for the queen ( she should have hatched out3 to 4 days ago ) didnt see her.there were no queen cells today but there were at least 5 of them 2 weeks ago.

will check again in another week and might be able to pull the cone off!the trap hive is bringing in nectar and capping honey very quickly!

new pic below

jp notice the hive is level? the golden rain trees are blooming still but you can see the seed pods forming where the blooms were.funny looking golden / red blooms both on the same tree.

Logged

most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

You set the trap on Sept. 22. Two weeks ago today. The eggs laid the same day won't emerge for another week. There will be bees in the tree for a minimum 2 more weeks, likely 4 weeks. I wouldn't remove the cone before Halloween if you want to empty the tree. If you want them to regroup and do another trap in the spring, remove it now and build the hive from 8 frames.

PS. If you add a frame of eggs and brood now, it will give the new hive emerging bees for the next 3 weeks, and if the new queen didn't make it, they will make a new one.Just a bit of insurance.

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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

jp. i think it will be a good hive as well. they are drawing the plastic foundation from one of the hives thatyou gave me.that hive absconded and i used the frames again here and there.guess i better hang a swarm trap next week whan i go back cause these bees are very gentle.would love to have that queen!bailey

Logged

most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

your new to the board?welcome. you have come good company here with the south louisiana bee keeping.look at iddees posts on trapouts and then go get them next spring! i believe it might be hard to start one now and get a good mated queen out of the deal in our area.what city are you in?bailey

Logged

most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

well, i got good news and i got bad news :-xgood news the trapout worked! no more bees in he tree :lol:bad news, the bait hive is queenless! :'(dont guess she made it back from her mating flights.

will go remove the bait hive this weekend and then seal the tree so no other swarms take up residence.the bait hive is so full of pollen, bee bread and nectar and honey it,s amazing!i have a late swarm with a good laying queen that will get the hive and stores as a combine so all is not lost.

but! i have another bee tree lined up for trapout in the spring so look for more stories on my attempts to do trapouts.bailey

Logged

most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.